


Carry Me to Somewhere, Wherever

by kira_khaleesi



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Has a Troubled Past, Haunted Houses, Lying/Miscommunication, Mild Angst, Multi, Mystery, No Smut, Potential More Tags to be Added, Reylo - Freeform, Skywalker Family Drama, background stormpilot, suspense?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kira_khaleesi/pseuds/kira_khaleesi
Summary: Having moved into an old family home after the tragic death of his parents, Ben Solo has a hard time adjusting to his new life, the house in particular. Doors seem to slam on their own, and lights he is certain he turned off remain on.Unsure what to do, he seeks the help of a local expert in supernatural affairs.--on hiatus as of aug 19 2020--
Relationships: Ben Solo & Rose Tico, Rey & Rose Tico, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 50
Kudos: 26
Collections: A Picture is worth 1000 Words - PL Summer Exchange





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LostInQueue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/gifts).



> inspired by this lovely moodboard by LostInQueue  
> 
> 
> [ title from this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVc6wPgCqCQ)

The house has been empty for more than half a century.

A shadow of its former self, with dust covering every possible surface and cobwebs adorning the corners. Furniture that longs to be used and to have the ghostly white sheets that they wear like shrouds sit undisturbed. The house is still beautiful, in a haunted, pained, kind of way. Though the garden is overgrown and the paint faded, it is not decrepit or unsightly like some abandoned homes become. 

Unlike the collapsing house in the outskirts of Jakku district, this home holds no interest for reckless teenagers and is too close to the centre of town for any homeless who pass through to find shelter.

The people of Varykino do not fear this empty home, and almost everyone who is old enough to remember  _ why _ it was left that way is dead. Those who were there when it happened know better than to speak ill of something so tragic. 

Every once and awhile, there are whispers. But they always subside.

Nobody has set foot in the house in sixty years, until one day, somebody does. 

As the key turns in the lock of the front door, it is as if the house itself lets out a breath it had been holding for a lifetime. 

_ At last. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **disclaimer** that I do not know much about magic, mediums, ghosts, etc, so if I portray things wrong or you have information to share please leave comments! 
> 
> Always eager to learn and definitely not trying to shame or ridicule different beliefs.  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben moves into an old family estate with the help of the Damerons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by this moodboard by [ LostInQueue ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/pseuds/LostInQueue)

“So, remind me how this place belongs to you again?” Poe scratches his head as Ben pulls an ancient looking key from his pocket.

Ben cautiously inserts the key, before turning it to open the door. “The house belonged to an old relative, one that my parents and I never met.”

“Right.” Poe nods. “So now that your parents are- since they passed away, you inherited the place?”

“Correct.” Ben pushes the door open, and flips the light switch in the entryway.

“Well,” Finn walks up the steps to join them on the landing. “I’ve lived in Varykino my whole life and this house has never been occupied. It’s just been sitting here.”

“Waiting for Ben, evidently.” Poe suggests.

“I’m excited.” Finn grins. “I’ve always wanted to know what happened here, we used to make up stories about it and what it looks like on the inside.”

Ben’s eyebrows crease. “Why?”

Finn shrugs. “It’s a neat mystery, you know, what will we find inside the abandoned house?”

“Hopefully no _bones_.” Poe makes a gagging sound, “and hopefully no wildlife has made its home here.”

Running a hand through his hair, Ben swallows. “Let’s find out.”

  
  


* * *

There are no bones or wildlife to be found inside the old home. 

It is actually in quite good shape. When his lawyer had said over the phone that there was an old property in the will, and that it had been empty for some time, Ben had imagined something decrepit, rotting; something dead.

The house is not like that at all. It’s as if who ever lived here had just stepped out for a minute and might return at any second. 

The main problem is the dust, but within two hours the three of them have opened the windows and wiped down nearly every surface there is. When they finish, they begin removing the white sheets that are draped over all the furniture. While the decor is old, it is in pristine condition. The couch by the living room fireplace, as Finn discovers, is extremely comfortable. 

Finn is seated on said couch, wiping sweat off his brow when he asks “so why are you moving into this old place, Ben? Not that, I mean- it’s in great shape, but it doesn’t really match your whole vibe.”

“My whole vibe?” Ben chuckles. “I’m not sure I want to know what my vibe is...but, honestly, some shit went down at my old job and I just need...” he sighs. “I just need something different, and this, this is a lot different.”

“I’ll say.” Poe leans back on the couch to fold his hands behind his neck. “Old family home in Varykino is quite a change from a penthouse apartment in Coruscant.”

“Yeah,” Ben nods.

Poe stands abruptly. “You know what _we_ need?”

“What?” Ben and Finn ask at the same time.

“Pizza and beer!” Poe grins. “We spent all morning dusting this old girl down, and we will have to unpack Ben’s stuff in a bit, so I want some food before we do that.”

Before they can say anything, Poe walks down the hall. After a couple seconds they can hear him on the phone with the pizza place.

“Hey, forgive me for asking but,” Finn leads forward, hands on his knees. “But, if you needed a change of pace and, since your parents died, why not-”

“-Why not move into their place instead of an abandoned house in a small town I’ve never set foot in?” Ben finishes.

“Exactly.” Finn raises his eyebrows.

Ben exhales. “I went back there, to my parent’s place in Chandrila...I couldn’t even stay one night, it was too difficult. Too many ghosts, memories of them and their life.”

Finn hums. “So what will you do with that house?”

“For now, I’m renting it out to this couple.” Ben lets out a self-deprecating laugh. “Couldn’t bring myself to live there but I can’t bring myself to sell it either.”

“That’s a tough thing, man, when family dies.” Finn opens his mouth to say something but is cut off by Poe walking back into the room, announcing loudly that the pizza is on its way.

“So, Poe, you didn’t tell me how you and Finn met.” Ben gestures between the two men.

Finn clutches his hand to his chest in mock outrage “ _Babe_. I cannot believe you didn’t fill your estranged childhood friend in on our love story!”

The three of them laugh, and Poe recounts their story while they wait for their food delivery. Ben is surprised how easily he has folded back into being friends with Poe, after going so long without seeing one another. The last time they had spoken was more than a decade ago, when Poe had left Chandrila to join the AirForce. 

All it took for them to reconnect were some Facebook messages and here they are.

Finn laughs as Poe remembers pranks they pulled on teachers in school and cooking adventures with his father, and Ben smiles when he hears the story of Poe’s stubborn attempts to romance Finn. 

They laze around for a while after eating their pizza and drinking their beers, before folding up all the white sheets and bagging up cleaning supplies. All the windows that had been opened on the home’s three floors to air out dust and the smell of cleaners get shut, and Ben rearranges the furniture to his liking.

It only takes an hour to carry the boxes of Ben’s limited belongings into the house, and then he thanks the married couple profusely for their help before bidding them goodbye. It’s not everyday you can ask someone you haven’t seen since high school to help you move into your new house.

Not five minutes after the Dameron’s car pulls out of the driveway, a loud slam sounds from upstairs. 

Ben starts to his feet, before quietly climbing the stairs to the second floor. Walking from room to room, he doesn’t see anything out of place.

**_BANG_ **

Another sound, from the attic, followed what sounds like glass breaking. Frowning, Ben recalls Poe’s earlier plea that there be no bones, or living things occupying the empty halls of this estate. He takes a deep breath, and ascends the staircase one more floor. 

The third floor consists of some storage space, a smaller bedroom and a half bath. Ben enters the bathroom first, to find nothing out of the ordinary. 

As he reaches his hand out for the doorknob of the bedroom, Ben pauses. 

He doesn’t know why, but he has a bad feeling about this. 

Drawing his hand back, Ben blinks as the image of a similar gilded doorknob on a deep mahogany frame flashes unbidden across his memory. Ben clenches his fists as his stomach churns at the lecherous sound of-

_“Closer, my boy_.” 

-Ben shakes his head

He is in his own house. 

In Varykino. 

It’s just a normal door. Behind it is just a room.

An empty room.

Inhaling shakily, Ben opens the door. 

A puzzled frown paints itself across Ben’s features when he sees that the bedroom window is wide open, the breeze gently fluttering the drapes. The full-height mirror that had stood next to the hand-carved dresser mere hours ago is shattered on the floor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd tell you to find me on twitter, but...anon. haha
> 
> leave me a comment or kudo! subscribe!!  
> <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the first day of his new life, Ben decides to explore the town he now calls home. 
> 
> He meets some locals, and we learn a bit more about who he was before Varykino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by this moodboard by [ LostInQueue ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/pseuds/LostInQueue)

_ “You  _ failed _ , foolish boy.” Ben’s lungs freeze in fear as the voice takes a step closer. “I cannot be betrayed. I cannot be beaten. How pitiful that you-” _

Ben wakes with a start, sweat beading on his bare torso as his heart races. 

Taking stock of his surroundings, Ben does his best to calm his breathing as he sits up. This is the house in Varykino. 

His house. 

There is nobody here but him. 

This is a safe place. 

He clenches and unclenches his fists a couple times, and then brings his hands to his face. With the pointer finger on both hands, he begins to tap his nose.

“One two three four five six seven eight.” He murmurs, counting aloud for nobody but himself, before moving his fingers to his cheekbones and repeating the tapping gesture.

“One two three four five six seven eight,” Ben taps his cheeks eight times, then his forehead, and lastly, his shoulders. 

He lets out a wavering exhale before lowering his hands. 

Slowly, he pads over to the window and slides the drapes open. The sun has just barely begun to rise, and a peaceful mist coats the world around him. 

With a deep breath in, and out, Ben squares his shoulders and makes his way toward the bathroom. Though the pipes groan slightly when he turns on the shower - likely from years of disuse - Ben has no trouble getting the temperature to where he wants it; just below scalding. 

Closing his eyes, he lets the water beat down on him, the rhythm soothing him awake and unwinding the tension the nightmare had sewn into his muscles. Ben empties the last of his travel size shampoo into his hand before massaging it onto his scalp, and makes a mental note to add toiletries to his shopping list. 

Today is the first day he is going to venture into Varykino. 

Ben had accepted Finn and Poe’s offer to show him around in a couple of days, but he was looking forward to having time to himself.

Time to just...wander. Explore. 

Walk around and take things in.

Ben isn’t sure when the last time he ever did that was, just meandering around an unfamiliar place. He knows for certain it’s been years, he never made time for that sort of thing when he lived in Coruscant. 

Turning the shower off, he takes his time to pat himself dry before changing into a pair of casual jeans and a dark navy knit sweater. Ben smiles softly as he combs his hair back out of his face, hearing his mother’s voice reminding him to get it cut followed by his retort that he is an adult and can have his hair how he likes. 

The smile fades when he remembers that those types of conversations will not happen ever again. 

He blinks at himself in the mirror, before shutting off the bathroom light and walking to the kitchen. As he surveys the meager contents of the fridge - some local baked goods the Damerons had brought as a welcome gift, leftover pizza and beer - Ben runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head at the newness of this all.

A fridge that he will personally stock full of ingredients, to be cooked by himself. 

A house that is decorated warmly and beautifully, instead of a cold and sparse apartment.

Waking up in the morning without an alarm, followed by a leisurely shower in preparation for a day that holds nothing but what  _ he _ wishes it to. 

The first day of his new life seems pretty good so far.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Varykino, Ben quickly discovers, is a peculiar place. It is neither a big city nor a small town; there is no strictly speaking “downtown” or suburbs, just a collection of neighbourhoods. There are hardly any buildings taller than ten storeys in the main thoroughfare, which is lined with beautiful trees Ben that suspects will blossom with pinks and purples in the spring. He cannot help but imagine the leaves crunching under his feet when fall approaches. 

The city centre borders right on the lake, with restaurants and small shops dotted around the edges of the water. Despite the crisp February air, the lake’s warm blue makes it look like summer. 

Ben manages to walk from his house, on the northwest border of the city limit, to the lake and circle the perimeter of downtown in about three hours. 

He couldn’t tell you the last time he had ever just walked for hours on end, but the hours pass with ease. It isn’t until Ben realizes that he is hungry that he finally looks at his watch to see that it is nearly noon.

Rounding the corner at the southeast entrance to the city centre, Ben decides to find something to eat before he goes to the grocery store he passed a couple blocks back. 

Ben stops, looking to his left, then to his right. He shrugs. 

When in doubt, turn left. 

Because he takes a step to the left before turning his head completely back, he collides head on somebody nearly a foot smaller than him wearing a ratty coat. The person mumbles a muffled “sorry” before hurrying on their way. 

Exhaling, Ben hopes wherever they are rushing off to, they get there in time. He continues on his way, stopping in front of _Tico’s_ _Sandwiches_. As he stares at the sign, lost in thought about whether it is pronounced “tee-ko” or “tie-ko”, Ben doesn’t hear the voice of a woman calling from down the street.

“Hey!” a pause.

“ _ Hey! _ ” The voice calls again, startling Ben out of his reverie. 

The first thing he notices about her is that she is beautiful. 

Not in a Hollywood, supermodel kind of way, but in a way that has a natural elegance to it. As she draws closer to Ben, he notices the freckles that are sprinkled across her face and what he thinks are flecks of green in her hazel eyes. The pale pink dress she has on hugs her waist and flutters around her knees.

“Did you drop this?” Distracted by her accent, it takes him longer than it should to realize that she is holding out a brown leather wallet that looks eerily like his own.

Ben’s brows crease, “no, I don’t-” he pats his pocket only to find it empty, “yeah? I mean, I guess.”

The woman opens the wallet, looking at its contents and then back up at Ben’s face. At his driver’s license photo, presumably.

“Well if you’re not Ben Solo you certainly look like him.” She grins and Ben feels his heart melt a little bit at the sight of the dimples on her cheeks. 

“Thanks.” Ben runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t know where I could have dropped it, but I-” he falls silent as he recalls the collision with the person in the coat that had seen better days.

“Let me guess,” the woman hands the wallet back to Ben and tilts her head to the side. “Someone small with their face covered in a ratty coat ran into you?”

“Yeah.” Sure enough, when he opens the wallet, his cards and ID are all present but the nearly $300 in cash is gone. “Does that happen a lot here?”

She laughs. “Only to tourists who don’t know any better.”

The tips of Ben’s ears turn pink. “Ah.”

“I’m Rey.” She holds out her hand, and as Ben shakes it he can’t help but notice the callouses that line her palm.

“Ben Solo, but I’m not a tourist, I’m just new.”

“Oh yeah? I thought all the units inside the Palpatine building had been sold.”

He shakes his head. “No, I moved into an old family home, it’s been empty for a while, on the northwest corner of town.”

“Oh,” Rey narrows her eyes conspiratorially, “I’ve heard that place is haunted.”

Ben lets out a soft chuckle.

“Well, Ben Solo, it was nice to meet you.” Rey looks to the side at the storefront next to them. “If you were debating going in, you really should. The owner, Rose, is a friend of mine. Best sandwiches you’ll ever eat.”

Before Ben can do so much as say goodbye, or ask for Rey’s number, she bounds across the street and continues on her way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varykino is somewhat modeled after the city [redacted] where I grew up.
> 
> Turning left when in doubt is a reference to my [ favourite military police officer. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Reacher)
> 
> I will probably be updated more frequently as these chapters are shorter and Nanowrimo has me writing nearly everyday. We will see!
> 
> comments are like a hug for my soul! let me know your thoughts! theories! reactions!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ben continues to adjust to his new life, events in the house grow increasingly strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slowly but surely we will learn more about what exactly happened in Coruscant.
> 
> inspired by this moodboard by [ LostInQueue ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/pseuds/LostInQueue)

_Ben struggles to keep his expression blank, and based on the sinister smirk that appears on Snoke’s face, he fails._

_“I know your mind, boy. I know your every intention.” As he stands abruptly, Ben takes a step back. “When I found you, I saw raw, untamed potential. I thought with time and attention I could craft you into something_ truly _special.”_

_Steeling himself, Ben remains rooted to spot even as Snoke approaches and ghosts his bony hand over Ben’s cheek._

_“Now, I fear I was mistaken.” Snoke raises a cruel eyebrow._

_“No, sir.” Ben grits through clenched teeth, forcing himself to meet his mentor’s eyes._

_Snoke steps back and gives Ben a once over before making the face of someone who has smelled something terribly sour._

_“We shall see.” He returns to his desk, before shouting at Ben to get out of his sight._

_As he shuts the door behind him, Ben takes the handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweaty palmprint he left on the gilded doorknob. He can show no weakness, for Snoke shows no mercy. And if he knew-_

-Ben’s eyes shoot open.

Wiping a hand over his face, he exhales and then bumbles his hand across the bedside table until he finds his phone. When Ben opens it, the brightness of the screen is near-blinding in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t deter him.

Opening his web browser, he types Reginald Snoke into the search engine.

_Wall Street Tycoon Reginald Snoke Found Dead in Prison Cell _

Ben clicks on the link, reading and then rereading the article for his own peace of mind. 

Clicking the phone off, Ben sits up and brings his hands to his face. He taps his nose, cheekbones, foreheads, and shoulders eight times, counting each tap aloud. When he is done, he falls back into bed with an undignified _whomp_. 

Staring up at the ceiling, his eyes have adjusted to the darkness enough that he can just make out the shape of the light above him.

The light on the ceiling of his room.

The room in the house in Varykino. Where he lives now. 

He lives in a house that is his, in a town on the other side of the country from Coruscant. 

He got out and he got away. 

And he is safe here. 

With a deep breath, Ben picks up his phone again to check the time. It reads 1:27am. He sighs, before swinging his legs over the side of the bed, only to recoil as soon as his feet hit the hardwood floor. 

“Shit!” It’s freezing. 

Over the past couple of days, the new house is gradually starting to feel like home. A couple of times a day, however, like now, he discovers little things that are missing here and there. 

Yesterday, he realized he needed to replace some of the drapes on the second floor.

As he stands to quickly make his way to the dresser and pull on a pair of wool socks, he makes a note to pick up a clock for the bedside table and slippers when he goes downtown later today. 

* * *

  
  
  


Ben has not crossed paths with the thief from his first day in town, nor Rey. He wishes he could see her again, if only to tell her that the sandwiches from _Tico’s_ are indeed the best he has ever had - and perhaps, if presented with the opportunity, Ben would ask for Rey’s number. 

He goes out of the way to be polite in all his interactions with the locals, hyper aware that in a city like this that is not quite small but definitely not big, all newcomers will be subject to scrutiny. Already, the cashier at _Tico’s_ , the clerk at the bank, and the supervisor at the grocery store have all asked him questions that border on invasive. 

Who is he? 

Where does he live? (Which is usually followed by a sigh and remark that that house has been empty for years).

“Ben, right?” Larma, the same woman - perhaps the same age that Ben’s mother was - is working the checkout at the drugstore today. She gives him a wrinkly smile as she scans his pack of batteries, an alarm clock, and extra large pair of men’s slippers.

“Yeah.” Ben dips his chin.

“Getting cold feet about the new house?” Larma raises an eyebrow at Ben with a twinkle in her eye.

Ben lets out a short laugh. “Cold feet _in_ the house, not _about_ the house.” 

Tapping his card, Larma wishes him a good day before placing his receipt in the bag. Ben smiles softly before heading out.

With cloud cover forming over the city all morning and a weariness in his bones from moving, unpacking, and rearranging his belongings, Ben decides to head home for the day. 

Maybe he’ll have a nap.

He knows for certain that he has not napped since he was a child. A very small child. Ben shrugs to himself before turning down the street to stop by _Tico’s_ to pick up his lunch. The house is clean enough and the fridge is stocked so he can adequately cook a thank-you dinner for Finn and Poe when they come over tomorrow night. 

There is nothing else on Ben’s agenda for today. 

So, after taking his sandwich to go, Ben walks him, inserting the key in his front door just as small droplets of rain land gently on his hair. Shoes toed off and lunch placed in the fridge, Ben shuts the curtains in his bedroom and goes to sleep. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Ben awakes some time in the mid-afternoon, foggy from sleep but in the leisurely kind of way. A fogginess that’s only purpose is a joyful reminder that he has nowhere to be and nothing to do but what he wants. 

He takes his time, moving slowly and intentionally. In no hurry at all, he eats his sandwich and has a glass of water, unboxes and sets the new clock, and slides the slippers on to his feet. They aren’t fancy by any means, as a generic drug store brand, but they’ll do. 

Where he was once picky, surrounding himself with only the finest of things, now that he has the time to care Ben is finding that price tags and luxury and brand names do nothing for him. 

He simply doesn’t care. 

Comfort, it seems, is something he had been severely underrated for the past decade of his life. 

Ben is contemplating this, among other facets of his recent lifestyle change, and washing his hands when the kitchen lights begin to flicker. They flicker intermittently for about thirty seconds before shutting off completely, leaving him only in the dim light of the grey sky that bounces softly through the windows. 

Frowning, Ben pads from the kitchen into the living room to find that the lights there are also all off. His frown only deepens as he walks through the entire first floor to find every light off. 

Then, as if nothing had happened at all, they all turn back on. 

Ben swallows. 

It’s an old house. Maybe he should have an electrician come by.

The rest of the day passes peacefully, though the lights do continue to flicker erratically.

It’s an old house, Ben thinks to himself as he heads to bed for the night, the drapes still shut from his prior nap. 

Nothing to worry about.

* * *

  
  
  


“NO! PLEASE, STOP! I’LL DO ANYTHING!” A woman’s scream sounds from upstairs, rousing Ben from bed. 

Forgoing his slippers in favour of the haste this situation seems to require, Ben grabs his phone from the dresser and bounds up the stairs.

“Hello?” He calls, opening the doors to each room one by one, finding nothing. “Is anyone here?”

Over the pitter patter of the rain on the windows, Ben strains to hear anything. Stepping toward the stairs at the bottom, Ben looks up at the third floor hesitantly. “Hello?”

One stair at a time, he makes his way up, until, two stairs from the third floor landing, the soft sounds of sobbing make themselves known.

As he proceeds to check the bathroom and bedroom, finding them empty, the sobbing continues. 

“Hello?” Ben whispers to nobody but himself.

And the sobbing stops. 

“Help me.” The woman’s voice pleads, before a loud bang sends Ben flying back off his feet.

  
  
  
  


When he gets up, every single window in the house is wide open. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate in the house, and Ben seeks help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by this moodboard by [ LostInQueue ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInQueue/pseuds/LostInQueue)
> 
> I also created my own moodboard, inspired by theirs!  
> [](https://www.flickr.com/gp/189214473@N06/r91xQs)

After hours of pacing back and forth through the house, closing windows that have already been closed and enduring a headache from the return of fluttering lights, Ben does not find anybody (or any animals) in his house.

And yet, he is certain that there is someone.

He heard a woman cry out, he is sure of it.

Eventually, the lights stop turning on and off and all the windows remain closed. 

Seated on the edge of the bed, Ben puts his head in his hands and tries to calm his breathing, but he can’t. No matter how he tries to rationalize everything that has occurred in the house, his mind keeps returning the voice of the woman. 

There is nobody in the house, but he _knows_ that he heard her. 

He knows. 

But what Ben also knows is that in the immediate aftermath of everything that went down in Coruscant, everything he tried so hard to wash his hands of, that he suffered regular panic attacks. What happened there had a serious psychological impact on him. Ben groans in frustration because though he _feels_ absolutely certain that he heard a woman call for help, he _knows_ that he probably didn’t.

It’s an old house, the stairs creak and croak a little bit- it isn’t a stretch to imagine that the sounds of the wind passing through the structure could make strange sounds. 

The wind, however, poses its own problem.

Once inside the house, yes, the wind could be responsible for creating a sound Ben mistook for a distressed woman, but that brings up the matter of the windows.

The windows that had been shut, and then suddenly, were all open. In a strong storm, perhaps it would be possible to blame the weather for such an occurrence. But the rain is only a light patter on the windows and the wind is hardly strong enough to be more than a breeze. 

Ben closes his eyes, and exhales as slowly as he can manage.

“One two three four five six seven eight,” he counts, tapping his nose, then cheeks, then forehead, then shoulders.

Swallowing, he opens his eyes and runs a hand through his hair. 

He doubts he will be able to get back to sleep, and opts to take a shower. The hot water does wonders to ease his mind, and Ben remains under the spray far longer than he should. Exiting the shower, he wraps a towel around his waist and steps towards the counter to brush his teeth.

Ben falls backward gracelessly onto his butt and scrambles to get his back against the wall when he sees the mirror.

There is a message written in the condensation.

  
  


**_HELP ME_ **

  
  
  


* * *

Ben spends the rest of the night seated in a kitchen chair that he has pushed up against the wall. He chose the wall with no windows, and has arranged himself so that he can see both the front door to the house and the stairs. 

He sits there all night with a knife in his hand, waiting.

The hours pass slowly, Ben flinching and his grip on the knife tightening at the slightest sound.

At some point, the sun rises and the day begins. Still, Ben does not move. Watching as it grows brighter through morning and early afternoon, he remains in the chair, keeping vigil.

When he hears the chime of his phone from the bedroom, he decides that he should probably begin his day. Haunted house shenanigans aside, Ben is having guests over for dinner. Turning on his coffee maker, he heads into the bedroom to get dressed and start preparing for the arrival of his friends.

Before he worked for Snoke - though, at times, it is difficult to even remember his life before that monster - Ben loved to cook. It is easy enough to fall back into his old proficiency, whipping up a chicken alfredo pasta dish with vegetables in a quick thirty minutes. 

Just as he is pouring the sauce over the noodles, the doorbell rings. Ben slings his washcloth over one shoulder before opening the door to let Finn and Poe in.

They exchange pleasantries as Ben puts the finishing touches on the dinner, and they are nearly halfway through the meal when Finn asks him how everything in the new house has been.

Swallowing slowly, Ben takes a minute to think about how he should answer.

On the one hand, nearly everyone he has spoken to in Varykino mentioned that this house is thought to be haunted. On the other hand, nothing is surer to scare away the only friends he has in this new town than explaining that he is sharing his home with some sort of sad or distressed ghost.

Ben decides to just bite the bullet. “Actually, I think the house is haunted.”

“I knew it!” Finn exclaims dramatically, before breaking into laughter. Poe joins shortly after.

After giving them a minute to laugh at the absurdity of it all, Ben clarifies quietly “It wasn’t that funny last night. The lights kept turning on and off, the windows all opened up on their own, and a message was written on my bathroom mirror.”

Poe swallows. “Um, I’m sorry, what?”

Ben sighs. “I _actually_ think this house is haunted. I could hear a woman, she was screaming for help, but when I ran upstairs there was nobody there.”

Poe makes eye contact with his husband before turning back to Ben. “Could it have been the wind making that sound?”

“I thought that too,” Ben shakes his head, “but I had all the windows shut and then after the woman’s voice faded, all the windows in the entire house opened at the same time.”

Running a hand through his curly hair, Poe leans back in his seat.

“You said there was a message?” Finn places his elbows on the table.

“Yeah.” Ben nods once.

“How was it left?” Finn tilts his head to the side. 

“It was written in the steam on the bathroom mirror.” Ben holds his breath, not sure if Finn’s next words are going to be of acceptance or ridicule.

Finn’s brows pinch together. “And what did it say?”

Ben sighs. “‘Help me.’”

With his teeth clenched, Finn’s breath hisses as he exhales. 

“Honestly, Ben, it was probably just some local kids who snuck in an open window and wrote on the mirror, you know, as a prank for whenever somebody moved in.” The tone of Poe’s voice makes it more evident that he is saying it for himself than for Ben.

It does nothing to change Ben’s mind. 

“Well, I mean, I’ve never been, but there’s a store on the outskirts of town…” Finn shrugs. “They deal with this sort of thing.”

Poe scoffs. “I’m sorry, what ‘type of thing’ is that? Is it the electrician? Because unless you’re fixing the flickering lights or...I dunno, calling the prank police I don’t really see how anything else is requi-”

“-Babe.” Finn raises a hand to cut his husband off. “If Ben really is experiencing what he said he was, who are we to tell him he is wrong?”

“I-” Poe wipes a hand over his face before turning to Ben.

Taking a deep breath, Ben mulls over the millionth time his certainty over the events in the house. He meets Finn’s gaze. “What sort of thing does this store deal with?”

“The supernatural kind of thing, spirits, healing crystals, fortune telling.” Finn arches an eyebrow at Poe, “and before you say anything, yes, maybe it is a scam, or maybe it isn’t a scam but they don’t deal with ghosts, I don’t know. But what’s the harm in asking?”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


This store, Ben later learns as he types “supernatural store Varykino” into the search engine of his laptop, is really on the outskirts of town. It sits behind the gas station on the city limits, or perhaps, in the same building - the photo provided is grainy and only gets more blurry as he tries to zoom in. 

The website, which Ben would describe as minimalist if he was being nice, says that customers are welcome to peruse the store during open hours but appointments are required for any specific inquiries. 

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Ben types the number in.

He inhales deeply, exhaling through his teeth, as his finger hovers over the _call_ button. 

And then he blinks. 

_Why not?_ He thinks.

It’s painless, in the end. Like booking a haircut or checking your voicemail. The young man on the other end of the line asks for his reason for calling, if he has ever been into the store before, and for his name.

Yes, the employee tells him, we do have someone who can help with haunted objects and residences, and has experience with problems of that sort.

Ben gets scheduled in for a morning appointment two days from now, and is told to bring a valid piece of photo ID. He is also told, in no uncertain terms, that if his appearance or name given for the appointment do not match the provided ID, the appointment will be canceled. Every so often, the young man explains with a sigh, people prank the store. 

Ben says he understands, and writes down all the details before hanging up.

He chuckles to himself, running a hand through his hair. Who would have ever thought that he’d be here; relocated to a small town and booking a consultation with an exorcist. 

Or, supernatural expert...ghost communicator, or whatever they’re called.

_Life is weird_ , he muses to himself, before shutting his laptop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on twitter [ @OctopusSoap ](https://twitter.com/OctopusSoap)


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